12
Venue Tips
Three Scottish
castles to try
Pictured: Culzean Pictured:
Castle & Country Park Barnbougle Castle
Pictured: Aldourie
Castle and Estate
Loch Ness
For a unique event
experience, try one of
these three castle venues
with stunning waterside
landscapes
As VisitScotland
celebrates its Year of
Coasts and Waters, we
take a look at three castles
nestled on the shores of
the country’s lochs and
coasts where delegates
can unwind and enjoy the
fresh air.
Culzean Castle
& Country Park
An opulent clifftop castle on the
dramatic Ayrshire coastline,
Culzean Castle was the family
holiday home of choice for US
president Dwight D Eisenhower.
The picture-book castle, which
is located within a country park,
dates back to the 18th Century
and has eight different event
spaces, including a 90-seat
auditorium, an Orangery and
Stone Barn.
The venue caters well to the
incentive market offering
private tours of the property
and teambuilding in its vast
568 acres of land. The grounds
can be used for small festivals
and marquee events, with
space to host up to 1,000
guests for a reception.
Culzean Castle has a small
number of bedrooms on site.
Located on the upper floors of
the castle is The Eisenhower
Hotel, which has six bedrooms
and has been named as one of
the most exclusive places to
stay in Scotland.
Culzean Castle & Country
Park is part of the National
Trust for Scotland, which plays
an active role in the
conservation of native wildlife in
the local area, offering fun-filled
conservation challenges to
corporate groups.
Aldourie Castle
and Estate Loch Ness
Nestled among ancient
woodland in the Scottish
Highlands is the luxurious
Aldourie Castle and Estate,
the only habitable castle on
the shores of Loch Ness.
The property is ideal for
those looking for exclusive
hire. Aldourie Castle has 13
luxury en-suite bedrooms,
with stunning views of the
loch and woodland, and is
particularly popular for
product launches thanks to its
attractive exterior and
beautiful surrounding
landscape.
Aldourie Castle is also
popular for corporate and
incentive trips. With more than
500 acres of estate to explore
and its own marina on the
famous Loch Ness, this is the
perfect option for teambuilding
activities including boat trips to
spot the fabled yet ever illusive
‘Nessie’.
As part of a wider project to
revitalise the estate, Aldourie
Castle is conserving and
restoring its walled garden
both to provide sanctuary to
local wildlife and also to
provide its own produce
thereby reducing food miles
for its events.
www.conference-news.co.uk
Barnbougle Castle
Located on the Firth of Forth
in Edinburgh is the 13th
century Barnbougle Castle.
The hidden gem sits
majestically on the Rosebery
Estate, Dalmeny, within 2,000
acres of private parkland.
In 1881 the castle was
rebuilt by the 5th Earl of
Rosebery as a private retreat
for study and contemplation.
Since then, the venue has
undergone a major renovation
of its spaces but many of its
original furnishings and
antiques remain.
The venue has a range of
spaces perfect for meetings
and conferences for up to 200
delegates. The adjacent
grounds are suitable for
receptions of up to 450
guests, and larger scale
events utilising the 2,000 acre
estate can be arranged in
advance. A number of the
event spaces at Barnbougle
Castle have beautiful views of
the Firth of Forth, making it an
idyllic location for private
dining and wowing guests.